Tag: Single Transferable Vote

Council by-elections this Thursday

By-elections in Southside/Newington (Ward 15) and Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) take place this Thursday (3 September).

We’re urging residents in these wards to remember their polling cards and to cast their votes.

Residents in these wards who are aged 16 or over and have registered to vote can participate in Thursday’s by-elections.

One new councillor will be elected for each ward. The current electorate for Ward 15 is 24,666 and for Ward 17 it’s 28,062.

Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence said: “With these by-elections fast approaching, I encourage residents in these wards to take this opportunity to have their say on Thursday. Please remember your polling cards and check your polling place. These new councillors will represent your communities on issues affecting your local area and Edinburgh as a whole.

“Our elections pages provide useful information on how the Single Transferable Vote system works – you can rank candidates in order of preference, choosing as many or few as you’d like.

“If you’re voting by post, please return your completed ballot as soon as possible to make sure your vote is counted.

Please check your polling place as this may have changed since the last time you voted. If you bring your polling card to vote this will help us and speed up the process, but this isn’t mandatory.

A full list of the candidates standing in both wards is available on the Council’s website.

Further information on voting in Ward 15 and Ward 17, including accessibility information and spoken ballot papers are also on the Council’s website.

Polling places will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 3 September.

Polling Places (Ward 15):

  • Nelson Hall Community Centre (New for 2026)
  • Blackford and Grange Parish Church Centre
  • St. Catherine’s Argyle Church
  • Newington Trinity Church
  • Reid Memorial Church Hall
  • 75th Braid Scouts’ Millar Hall
  • Cameron House Community Education Centre

Polling Places (Ward 17):

  • Portobello Library (New for 2026)
  • Branch Out Together
  • St Mark’s Episcopal Church (New for 2026)
  • Bingham Community Centre
  • St Martins Parish Church
  • Craigmillar Library
  • Hays Business Centre
  • Newcraighall Leith Victoria FC

The by-elections will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, where voters rank candidates in order of preference, rather than using a single cross. Voters can rank as many or as few candidates as they like.

The electronic count will take place at Waverley Court, starting at the close of poll at 10pm on September 3. 

Leith Walk By-Election tomorrow

The last few doors have been knocked, the final leaflets have been posted through letterboxes … now it’s up to the voters of Leith Walk:

Leith foot of the walk

Leith Walk constituents will go to the polls to elect two councillors for the ward tomorrow (Thursday 10 September).

There are 25,526 Leith Walk residents registered to vote in the election, which takes place in one of the most densely populated areas in Scotland.

Under the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system – a form of Proportional Representation – voters use numbers to rank the 10 candidates in order of preference rather than just using a single cross. Voters can express ‘preferences’ for as many or as few of the candidates as they wish.

This will be the first time in Scotland that an STV by-election has been needed to fill two vacancies in the same ward.

Andrew Kerr, Returning Officer for The City of Edinburgh, said: “This by-election will allow the residents of the Leith Walk ward to play a part in Edinburgh’s democracy, choosing two elected members to represent them and their interests on the City Council.  I look forward to working with the electorate to make sure the process runs smoothly.

“Voters should remember that STV allows them to vote for as many candidates they like, numbering choices in order of preference.”

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on 10 September. There are 11 polling places in the ward, details of which can be found on polling cards and the Council website.

Votes will be taken to the Council HQ where the candidates and their agents will watch them counted electronically as soon as the polls close at 10pm.

Full details of candidates are also available on the Council website.

Find out more about the Single Transferable Vote system.

Leith Walk By-Election: In numbers

11 polling places

19 polling stations

3996 postal votes issued

2 councillors to be elected

10 candidates

25,526 eligible voters – about 7% of the city’s electorate

210 books of ballot papers (100 in each)

40 polling staff, including presiding officers and poll clerks.